Advertising string holder



May 19, 1942 w. F. VERNON 2,283,474

ADVEETISING- STRING HOLDER Filed March 6, 1940 I I I 1% I 19a 29- I I I 4 2 l 1a 5 5(- J5 5 J7 f I at the point 2|.

Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,283,474 ADVERTISING STRING HOLDER William F. Vernon, Newton, Iowa Application March 6, 1940, Serial No. 322,454

1 Claim. (Cl. 242-146 This invention relates to a string dispenser of a type adapted for use as a fixture in retail grocery stores and markets and has for its primary object the provision of a dispenser capable of unusual economy of manufacture and designed to minimize the possibility of tangling of the string.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a string dispenser wherein a cone of string and string tensioning devices are concealed from view, and the dispenser is adapted to receive interchangeable advertising panels comprising substantially the entire exterior surface of the dispenser.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a string tensioning device of extreme simplicity capable of economical manufacture and quick and easy assembly and designed to prevent tangling of the string.

Referring now to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front .elevational view of the essential elements of a string dispenser constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View similar to Fig. 1, showing the essential elements of the device in one of the positions assumed when string is being withdrawn'from the mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the invention showing a pair of assembled advertising panels positioned in the dispenser frame.

The frame ll! of the dispenser illustrated comprises a rectangular supporting structure which is preferably formed as a unit of one continuous length of heavy wire. The frame I includes a horizontal top portion 1 l in which a center loop I2 is formed and a pair of vertical side portions 13 and I4 extending downwardly from the top portion II to support a horizontal lower portion IS. The lower portion [5 of the frame It) includes an inverted V-shape spindle I6 extending upwardly at a point directly below the top loop l2 and formed of proper dimensions to engage the conical inner surface of a standard size cone or spindle ll on which the string I8 is wound. The frame It comprises a complete rectangle and may be formed with the abutting ends of the wire in any convenient position, as, for example, In this connection it will be seen that the joint between the opposite ends of the wire frame I8 may be very conveniently reinforced by one of the vertical slides 22 or 23, which are preferably formed of thin sheet metal hers I3 and I4. an examination of Figs.

l and 3, it will be seen that these vertical slides 22 and-23 not only reinforce the vertical frame portions 13 and I4, but in addition provide-vertical'channels in which interchangeable and removable advertising panels 24 and 25 may be inserted. These panels 24 and 25 maybe of any as to seat their edges firmly against the vertical spot welding at the points 3|.

slides :22 and 23 and bow outwardly at their center portions to provide adequate clearance for the maximum diameter. of the cone of string l8. To successfully dispense. the string l8 from the cone l'l without tangling, it is essential to provide an arrangement of guide loops and a tensioningmechanism designed to. take up the unnecessary slack in the string and to lift'the free end of the string upwardly toward the body of the dispenser after each-operation, as, for example, afterthe package'h'as been wrapped, tied and the string broken ofi.

In the present invention there are two of these guide loops 26 and 21, each of which is coiled from an idential length of wire, such as the wires 28 and 29, and these wires 28 and 29 are secured in vertical position between the top portion H and the bottom portion 15 of the frame in any convenient manner, as, for example, by Before being welded, however, a heavy metal tensioning ring 32 is positioned on the lower portion of the vertical wire 28 in such a manner that the wire will act as a vertical slide for the tensioning ring, which will then be free to move from the lower frame portion I5 upwardly along the wire 28 to the guide loop 26.

To prepare the dispenser for operation, the string [8 is threaded through the top loop l2, thence through the guide loop 21, across'the frame and through the tensioning ring 32, and thence upwardly through the guide loop 26 and downwardly out of the dispenser.

In operatiomwhen the clerk grasps the outwardly extending portion of the string I8 and draws the string from the mechanism, the string will slide through each of the several guide loops, but the friction of the string will exert a certain small amount of resistance sufiicient to cause the tensioning ring 32 to be lifted upwardly along the vertical slide 28 to any point between the lower frame I5 and the guide loop 26. It will be understood that the ring 32 may rise completely and spot welded to the vertical side frame memto the guide loop 26 or only part of the distance the string I8 is drawn quickly from the cone l1, 7

the length of string extending from the cone upwardly to the center of the loop l2 ,may from time to time assume a multitude ofdifierent positions, but the arcuate shape illustrated at IBA in Fig. 2, is characteristic. M I

It will be noted that the string inthis instance to be preferred over any other type of tensioning mechanism from the standpoint of cost of manufacture, but with this type of tensioning means there has been in the past a tendency to tangle in the event that the string was jerked sharply in such a manner as to cause the ring 32 to bounce or gyrate and spin around the wire 28 in such a manner as to wind the string around the wire.

This objection has been overcome in the present invention by feeding the string to the tensioning ring 32 at a relatively large angle as indicated at lBc, for under these circumstances the tension of the string l8c will act on the ring 32 sufliciently to prevent any gyration or spinning, irrespective of how sharply or abruptly the string may be jerked from the dispenser.

approaches the center guide loop l2 at a considerable angle with respect to a vertical line position passing through this loop and it is, therefore,,desirable that the downwardly extending length of string [811 be arranged at an angle large enough to avoidthe portion I8a at any point during the swinging movement around the axial center of the cone (1. This is accomplished in the present device by training the string portion 18b downwardly at an angle of approximately 45 and thence through the guide loop 21.

To prevent tangling of the string during its passage through the tensioning device, it is also desirable that the string be fed to the tensioning ring 32 at a large angle with respect to the vertical slide 28 and this is also accomplished in the present invention, as indicated by the position of the string portion I80 in Fig. 2.

While I have shown and described the preferred; embodiment of the invention in comthe side wires V-shaped retainer strips fastened on the side wires; a gravity operated string tensioning membermounted for vertical movement on one of theguide wires; and removable side panels mounted within the retainer strips, the-side panels being. sufliciently-stiif and long to require outwardly tensioned bowing tostably enclose the string dispenser and provide elfective removable advertising panels.

WILLIAM F. VERNON. 

